Understanding that Cleveland Indians’ attendance is a complicated problem, and that to a certain extent the horse is dying or dead already and beating it will do little to bolster this year’s numbers… a little perspective never hurt anybody, right?
Bud Shaw had some key insights into the attendance issue earlier this month. In his PD story, he suggested that winning streaks — even extended stretches of outstanding baseball in which we win, say, 22 of 25 games — aren’t enough to generate the type of long-term interest and season-ticket purchases necessary to sustain high attendance levels.
His key observation, though — and maybe this is so obvious that it doesn’t bear repeating — was that Cleveland’s record sellout streak in the 90s occurred just after the Browns left town. Fans had no choice but to flock to the Indians in the absence of football.
Season ticket purchases appear to be the key, the tide’s baseline water mark. And we’ll know more about the 2013 team’s impact after 30 home games next season. But after the 30-home-game mark this year, here’s where we stand.
MLB TEAMS WITH THE TEN WORST ATTENDANCE MARKS IN 2013
1. Cleveland Indians: 16,494
2. Miami Marlins: 17,811
3. Tampa Bay Rays: 18,124
4. Houston Astros: 18,243
5. Seattle Mariners: 20,522
6. Oakland Athletics: 20,560
7. Chicago White Sox: 21,678
8. Pittsburgh Pirates: 21,798
9. Kansas City Royals – 22,015
10. San Diego Padres – 25,380
Difference between last-place Cleveland and second-to-last place Miami
1,317
(That means that there are 1,317 more people in Miami, Florida, who go see the worst team in baseball every single night than there are in Cleveland).
Cleveland Attendance after 30 games last year
16,746
2012-2013 Difference per game
-252
(That means that this year, with an emboldened offense, a high-profile new coach, a reborn pitching staff, and four-dollar beers, 252 less people are going to see the Tribe every single game.)
Additionally, after 55 total games, the Indians have hit 69 home runs. That’s good for 3rd place among 15 American League teams. That’s more than half of our home run output in 2012, when we hit 136 and ranked 12th among 14 AL clubs.
To recap:
1) The Indians are better are baseball this year.
2) The Indians are certainly hitting more home runs this year.
3) The Indians management made key acquisitions in the off-season to make the club better/more watchable: Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Mark Reynolds…even Brett Myers.
4) Progressive Field has Sugardale Dollar Dog Nights virtually every Friday home game and four-dollar beers all season long.
Unanswered season ticket questions notwithstanding, WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYBODY???
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2013.
The downtown casino not only did not help Indians attendance *at all*, it actually made it worse.
HERE’S a thought! The Browns being absent from the scene during the high attendance period for the Indians in the mid 1990s MIGHT have had something to do with it. But that’s also when the Indians were CONSISTENTLY performing well throughout the year and were worth going to the ballpark to watch. This year’s team is a fraud and is shallow, despite the hype from the city’s and fans’ cheerleaders. And yesterday’s loss to a genuinely much higher-quality team is a good illustration. The Indians will be humiliated on this road trip. And by the way, you don’t lose your home opener in front of what is likely to be the only sellout game of the season! You just don’t do that!
To be fair, Edward, the inning where Justin Masterson gave up the grand slam was an inning where the Yankees had a lot of good luck. For example, Masterson got his double play ground ball, but it eluded his glove by a hair. I don’t think the team will make the playoffs either, but you can’t judge them by one game.
I think one way the Indians could improve attendance wouldbe if the players made a better effort to make a connection with fans. You know, like Omar Vizquel did back in the ’90s. Our current SS, Asdrubal Cabrera, is a pretty exciting player but I don’t even know if he speaks English.
When we lose our team to another city, then the fans will bitch!.
They sell out the Browns, and they have genuinely “sucked” since 1999
Cleveland has always been known for their great fans.. where are they?
Um…the Browns have a new coach…the Indians…and all the other teams in MLB…have a MANAGER. Even the casual fan knows the difference…it’s the non-baseball person who calls the MANAGER “the coach”…and talks about “the locker room”…MLB stadiums don’t have locker rooms…that’s NFL talk…ballparks have clubhouses…to house the “ball club”…or “club” for short.
But it’s now almost two months since this story ran…a lot of warm weather and the “club” is still within reach of the Tigers. How have the numbers changed? If they haven’t gone up substantially, something’s seriously amiss.
Maybe it’s something a lot more serious…the older die-hards are getting even older…and dying off…and younger folks…and especially kids…just don’t give a shit about baseball in the same way. Not like even twenty years ago.
There are a LOT of reasons for this, and it’s a huge can of worms that needs to be explored somewhere else…not here. But just pass a ball diamond in your typical park…not just in Cleveland but in other places as well…nothing is moving except swirls of dust. Kids are too busy texting and tweeting and staying inside. And without the last…and next… couple of generations of potential asses in the seats…baseball is doomed.
Today Cleveland…tomorrow…who knows?
Chuckles the Clown